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Maisha

♀ Girl

Pronounced MY-shah /ˈmaɪ.ʃɑ/Medium

Meaning: From Swahili maisha, 'life; living' (via Arabic 'isha, 'life, living')Medium

In 30 seconds: Life: Maisha is Swahili for 'life; alive'. Soft, warm, and lyrical.

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Origin MediumSwahili, Arabic

MeaningFrom Swahili maisha, 'life; living' (via Arabic 'isha, 'life, living')

U.S. rank (2024)#5367 ↗ Rising

2024 U.S. births24 girls (0.00% of U.S. girls)

Peak year1977

Total births (all-time)≈ 1,904

Popularity in the U.S. · SSA data

U.S. births per year (Social Security Administration, 1880–present). Pink marker = peak year.

SSA data updated May 2026. How we source & verify this data.

History & Origin

Maisha comes from Swahili maisha, 'life; living' (from the Arabic root 'a-y-sh, 'to live'). A soft, warm, lyrical name across East Africa and African American communities, celebrating life (said 'MY-shah').

In the U.S. it appears across communities. Rare, life at the root, and warm.

Did you know? Maisha means 'life; living' in Swahili (via the Arabic 'isha, 'life') — a soft, warm, lyrical name across East Africa (said 'MY-shah').

Overall data confidence 75%

Swahili references — maisha — etymology

Variations

MayshaMaishah

Nicknames

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Famous Bearers

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If you like Maisha…

Aisha— a kin 'life'-rooted Arabic name

Imani— a fellow Swahili girls' name

Zuri— a companion Swahili girls' name

Amani— another Swahili virtue girls' name

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Frequently Asked

What does the name Maisha mean?

Maisha is Swahili for 'life; living'.

How do you pronounce Maisha?

It's said MY-shah /ˈmaɪ.ʃɑ/ — two syllables, stress on the first.

Is Maisha a boy or girl name?

Maisha is a girl's name.

How popular is Maisha?

Maisha is a rare name in the U.S.